Best Trout Rivers In Ontario: Where To Fish

Ontario is blessed with hundreds of rivers and streams that have wild self-sustaining populations of trout.

The best trout rivers in Ontario for brown and brook trout are found in Southern Ontario, while Northern Ontario has some of the best brook trout rivers in the world. With so many rivers it can be intimidating but in this article, I’ll let you in on the best river for fishing and catching trout.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) even recognizes about 159 brown trout streams, most of which are in Southern Ontario. With all those rivers, there are only a couple dozen that provide great access, and good populations so you have the best chances, and a few with exceptional fishing opportunities.

There are probably hundreds or even thousands more creeks and streams spread out all over Ontario, especially northern Ontario that have brook trout in them.

Some of Northern Ontario’s brook trout are over 5 pounds. FYI, some rivers in southern Ontario have big 5-pound brook trout too.

Northern Ontario is littered with little back-creeks, ponds, and lakes with brook trout in them.

About Southern Ontario’s Best Trout Streams

An angler Nymph fishing for trout on an Ontario river
An angler Nymph fishing for trout on an Ontario river

You might be thinking, what about rainbow trout?

Well, there are a few streams in Southern Ontario with wild or stocked rainbow trout.

Many of these same trout rivers enter into the Great Lakes, which means most of them will get runs of migratory rainbow trout known as steelhead, as well as migratory brown trout over 20 pounds, and salmon over 30 pounds.

These trout rivers are spread out all over Southern Ontario, from the far southern Lake Erie rivers to the far Eastern Rivers of Lake Ontario, to the more northern rivers of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior – See Lake Superior Steelhead Fishing.

Some of our Southern Ontario trout rivers are large enough to get a canoe or small boat through, while others are so small you could jump across them.

On of my buddies fishing on one of the best trout rivers in Ontario boat.
One of my buddies fishing secluded trout water which is only possible by using an inflatable boat.

This gives anglers the opportunity to fish all kinds of different water, from fast rapid sections to slow swampy flat water and everything in between.

What often makes a river one of the best is not just the fact that there are lots of fish in it, but it needs to be accessible.

That is why only the larger, more popular, and more accessible rivers and creeks are listed on this page.

The key to finding a great trout river is cold water. While many rivers look good, if the water doesn’t stay cold enough in the summer, then the trout cannot survive.

In my experience, most southern Ontario rivers start as cold spring up in the headwaters and are ideal for trout.

An angler holding a nice 20 inch brow trout
My friend Ed with another nice brown trout from Ontario’s best brown trout river, the Grand River.

The list below is some of the bigger more popular rivers in Southern Ontario.

On the larger rivers, most of the best fishing for trout occurs in the highest portions of the headwaters or in the smaller tributaries that feed these rivers.

This is where the water is cold and clean year-round.

There are some smaller tributaries that the steelhead can get up, but the lower portions of the rivers are often best if you want steelhead and salmon.

A natural spring entering one of Ontario's best trout and steelhead rivers.
The headwaters of a great Ontario trout and steelhead river.

NOTICE: many of the rivers listed on this website have extensive private property sections, and landowners have notified me that they will charge people for trespassing. If there are signs posted, DO NOT TRESPASS. There is also no such thing as a high water mark in Ontario.

One of my clients fishing the headwaters section of a good Ontario trout river.
One of my clients releasing a small trout while fishing in the headwaters section of a good Ontario trout river.

This means that if your feet are on dry land along the edge of a river, you can be charged with trespassing, and it doesn’t matter how high the river gets.

Many landowners often tell me that the primary issues they have with anglers are littering, poaching, and disrespectful anglers.

If there weren’t so many anglers littering we would have more places to fish.

Best Ontario Trout Rivers
Two of my clients fishing for trout and steelhead on a guide trip in Southern Ontario.

A LIST OF THE BEST TROUT RIVERS IN ONTARIO

Click to view more.

The Best Lake Ontario Rivers

Oshawa Creek
Duffins Creek
Bowmanville Creek
Wilmot Creek
Ganaraska River
Cobourg Creek
Cold Creek
Rouge River
Bronte Creek
16 Mile Creek

The Best Georgian Bay Trout Rivers

Cold Water River
Nottawasaga
Beaver River
Bighead River
Sydenham River

The Best Lake Huron Trout Rivers Of Ontario

Sauble River
Saugeen River
Maitland River
Nine Mile River
Bayfield River

The Best Lake Erie Trout Rivers In Ontario

Big Creek
Grand River

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Guide Tip: Just because you know where to fish doesn’t mean you will catch trout. Presentation, the method you use, the gear, and your setup can all make a huge difference in catching trout. Even the line you use matters.

Go Wet A Line,

Graham

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